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UWA staff are driving one of only a handful of totally electric cars in Western Australia.

Facilities Management, which is committed to sustainability, took delivery of the Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle (i-MiEV) in mid-May and, in its first week, about a dozen staff clocked up close to 300 kilometres in it.

The i-MiEV replaces a standard petrol-fuelled Mitsubishi Lancer. It is used for travel to construction sites, off-campus meetings and other UWA campuses.

When FM staff need to attend meetings in the city, they usually take a bus using a Corporate Smart Rider. To round up their suite of sustainable vehicles, FM also have a fleet of bicycles, including an electric bike, for short trips around the Crawley/Nedlands campus.

Director of FM, Clint Walker, said there were only ‘dozens' of these cars in Australia. It was purchased with advice from Professor Thomas Braunl (Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering), the University's expert on electric cars, who also helped FM with options for charging the vehicle

"We're very happy with the i-MiEV," he said. "GM-Holden makes an electric car, the Volt, which is not yet available in Australia.  The other option was a Nissan LEAF, but the capital cost and the neater, more efficient i-MiEV vehicle swayed our decision."

The car is charged using mains electricity in the basement carpark of the Ken and Julie Michael Building.  It takes a few hours to charge an empty battery to 80 per cent of its capacity or overnight to gain full capacity: a range of up to 130 kilometres on a ‘full tank', costing around $5 in electricity.

The i-MiEV costs $29,000 and has most of the features expected of a 21 ^st century car: USB port, iPod port and air-conditioning.

Its carbon footprint is 40 per cent less than a petrol-powered vehicle.  If it was powered with solar energy, the footprint would be zero: 100 per cent less than a petrol car. It also costs 70 per cent less to run than a standard petrol vehicle.

The small four-door car is surprisingly roomy and even Mr Walker, with his 195cm frame, finds it reasonably comfortable. It can reach a speed of 100km/hour but FM staff are advised that, if they want to drive on the freeway, they should use the department's remaining petrol car, the Toyota Yaris.

Staff have also been advised that, as the car runs silently, they should take care as pedestrians and cyclists may be unaware of it approaching.

‘The first time you hop in, it is a little disconcerting, as you expect to turn the key and have something burst into life," Mr Walker said. "Instead, a small bell chimes that the car is ‘ready' and that's it - off you go.  But you soon get used to it."